Wayne Rooney RSS feedhttps://www.fourfourtwo.com/wayne-rooney
enRanked! The 20 top goalscorers in Champions League history We count down the most prolific players in Europe's premier competition since its rebrand in 1992https://www.fourfourtwo.com/gallery/ranked-20-top-goalscorers-champions-league-history
slideshowTue, 19 Feb 2019 16:35:27 +0000Greg Lea100006907 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comFabio Capello: Wayne Rooney had lost his edge in second Everton spellhttps://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/fabio-capello-wayne-rooney-had-lost-his-edge-second-everton-spell
Former England manager Fabio Capello feels Wayne Rooney had lost some of his edge before swapping the Premier League for Major League Soccer last year.Manchester United and Englands record goalscorer plumped for a return to boyhood club Everton in July 2017 but he stayed just one season before leaving to sign for DC United.Capello, who has exchanged occasional barbs with Rooney in the past about their time together with England, delivered a withering assessment of the strikers most recent spell at the Toffees.The Italian would not comment on England but, speaking in his role as a Laureus Ambassador, he said of Rooney: He decided to go to America, it is new football, different football. It is a new experience and a lot of Italian players go there to finish off their careers. Rooney is a good player, but I saw the season when he returned to Everton and he didnt perform well. He was on the pitch but like another part of the team. It was not the Rooney I remember fighting, running nothing. He lost everything, all his characteristics. The Laureus World Sports Awards celebrate the most remarkable men and women from the world of sport along with their achievements from the previous calendar year. The Awards also showcase the work of Laureus Sport for Good, a charity which uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By David Charlesworth, Press Association Sport, Monaco');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '105b8429-bb8b-4c3a-800a-fe570390af8e');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Fabio Capello: Wayne Rooney had lost his edge in second Everton spell'});news_articleMon, 18 Feb 2019 22:30:46 +0000Anonymous100118705 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comIn pictures: Chelsea and Manchester United FA Cup clasheshttps://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/pictures-chelsea-and-manchester-united-fa-cup-clashes
Chelseas Eden Hazard scored the only goal when the sides met in last years final (Nick Potts/PA)Chelseas victory meant their manager Antonio Conte (right) ended his reign with another trophy, getting the better of the clubs former boss Jose Mourinho (right) (Nick Potts/PA)It was the eighth time Chelsea had won the FA Cup (Nick Potts/PA)The result was the same, 1-0, when the sides met in the 2007 final. Didier Drogba scored the winner in extra time (Rebecca Naden/PA)That was a happier occasion for Mourinho, who was then Blues boss (Martin Rickett/PA)The 1994 final was a completely different story, however. Goals from Mark Hughes (left), Eric Cantona (two, right) and Brian McClair gave United a 4-0 win, completing the double (John Stillwell/PA)United also prevailed in a 1996 semi-final at Villa Park, winning 2-1 with goals from David Beckham (right) and Andy Cole (left) (David Jones/PA)Beckham scored two, including a trademark free-kick, as United overpowered Chelsea 5-3 in a remarkable third-round tie at Stamford Bridge in 1998. United led 5-0 after 78 minutes before a late Chelsea flurry threatened an unlikely comeback (Adam Butler/PA)United were also triumphant the following year, Dwight Yorke (lower left) scoring both goals in a 2-0 sixth round replay win at Stamford Bridge (Stefan Rousseau/PA)The sides also needed a replay to settle their quarter-final tie in 2013. Wayne Rooney was on target early in the first game at Old Trafford, which ended 2-2 (Martin Rickett/PA)Chelsea secured the draw with an equaliser from Ramires (Martin Rickett/PA)Demba Ba (left) then scored the only goal as Chelsea won the replay 1-0 (John Walton/PA)That familiar 1-0 scoreline was repeated in the 2017 quarter-finals, when Chelsea took advantage of Ander Herreras sending off at Stamford Bridge (Adam Davy/PA)The winning goal on that occasion came from NGolo Kante, who is mobbed by happy team-mates in this picture (Adam Davy/PA)Delving deeper into the archive, Norman Whiteside (left) was on target in Uniteds 2-0 fourth-round win over the Blues in 1988 (PA Archive)(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport Staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '8aa8c915-d4c5-4363-9c8c-68b1cce55a31');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story-enriched');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'In pictures: Chelsea and Manchester United FA Cup clashes'});news_articleSun, 17 Feb 2019 10:19:57 +0000Anonymous100118618 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney: I'm still good enough for the Premier LeagueWayne Rooney was a revelation in MLS after joining DC United from Everton and he feels he could still do a job in the Premier LEague.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-im-still-good-enough-premier-league
DC United striker Wayne Rooney believes he is still good enough to play in the Premier League.
England and Manchester United's all-time leading goalscorer swapped Everton for MLS by signing a three-and-a-half-year deal with DC in June.
The forward struggled for form after returning to his boyhood club Everton in 2017 in a deal that sent Romelu Lukaku to Old Trafford.
However, the 33-year-old helped lead DC from the bottom of the Eastern Conference and into the play-offs, scoring 12 goals and supplying six assists in 21 appearances.
"If I'm being honest, I know quality wise, I can still play in the Premier League," Rooney told CNN Sport.
"I know that. I've always been a confident person, and so I have high expectations of myself.
"I've come here expecting to do well and I think there was a surprise from people who have their opinions, which is fair enough, but I never doubted myself at all."
Top corner, all day. @WayneRooney | @VSPC #DCU | #Clearwater pic.twitter.com/0jccbAP0dL
— D.C. United (@dcunited) February 4, 2019
Rooney was let go from Manchester United by Jose Mourinho, and he reiterated his belief that Mauricio Pochettino should be employed as the Portuguese's replacement.
But he thinks interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be a good option if he maintains the form that has seen him go unbeaten in his first 10 matches at the helm, winning nine.
"Ole Gunnar's a fantastic person," said Rooney.
"I think the club will have a decision to make at the end of the season, and it'd be nice to see Ole continue with this form and get a shot at the job on a permanent basis.
"But if not, if the club go to choose someone else, then I think in my opinion Pochettino would be the right guy."
news_articleTue, 05 Feb 2019 17:35:17 +0000Anonymous100114803 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney urged Rashford to run at defendersWayne Rooney said he discussed fitness and approach play with Marcus Rashford when the pair came together for England duty last year.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-urged-rashford-run-defenders
Wayne Rooney said that he offered Marcus Rashford words of advice just weeks before the Manchester United forward scored six goals in nine matches for the Red Devils.
The pair spoke during the preparations for England's 3-0 win over the USA in November, which marked the end of Rooney's record-breaking international career, at which point Rashford had scored just two goals in 2018-19.
Since then, then the 21-year-old has taken his season's tally to eight in all competitions and Rooney shed light on the conversation they had about his game.
"When I went back to play for the national team against the USA, I spoke to Marcus and he was trying too much," Rooney told ESPN.
"He was trying too hard, he was working too hard, he was getting tired at the end of games.
2019 blessings pic.twitter.com/DEDY9ysAfX
— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) January 3, 2019
"But the scary thing with Marcus, when he runs at you with the ball he's impossible to defend and I reminded him to keep doing that, to just get the ball and run at defenders."
Rooney, who scored 253 goals in all competitions for United to become the club's all-time top marksman, urged his former club to have patience with midfielder Paul Pogba.
The France international has divided opinion during his second spell at Old Trafford and reportedly clashed with Jose Mourinho before his sacking in December, but Rooney indicated that Pogba will flourish if he is put under less scrutiny.
"If you don't have a good relationship with the coach, then it's difficult to be at your top if you feel like the coach is scrutinising every decision you make, every pass you make," said Rooney, who left Old Trafford to join Everton in July 2017.
"Paul Pogba will give the ball away, he'll try passes [and] it won't be the right pass at times, but you have to let him do that because two or three of them passes will create goals, will create opportunities.
"I think he found it difficult under Mourinho. I think a player and a manager with big egos clashed and the outcome was never going to be great."
news_articleSat, 19 Jan 2019 15:09:07 +0000Anonymous100109673 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney: United should go "all out" for PochettinoWhile full of praise for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Wayne Rooney believes Mauricio Pochettino is perfect for the Manchester United job.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-united-should-go-all-out-pochettino
Manchester United should go "all out" to tempt Mauricio Pochettino away from Tottenham, according to club legend Wayne Rooney.
United have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, winning six on the spin in all competitions ahead of Saturday's home clash with Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League.
The Norwegian's early success had led to calls for him to lose the interim tag and be handed the role on a permanent basis, and Rooney admits Solskjaer deserves to have a discussion with the club's owners, the Glazer family.
However, the former England international believes Spurs boss Pochettino - who has been heavily linked with United since Jose Mourinho's departure - should be the top target, considering his excellent record of bringing through young talent.
"First of all, you have to give Ole an opportunity and that's a discussion that has to take place with the Glazers," Rooney said in an interview with ESPN FC. "But if I had the opportunity to appoint someone, I'd go all out for Pochettino.
"I think Manchester United - certainly over the last 20, 30 years, since Alex Ferguson - have based themselves on youth players, young players, bringing players through. I think [Pochettino] gets the best out of his players whether they are younger or older.
"You see some of the young players he has brought through at Tottenham, at Southampton that have gone on to play for the national team, so I think he ticks every box in terms of his quality as a coach, but also his willingness to give youth a chance."
Solskjaer was drafted in from Molde to replace Mourinho, who was sacked in December with the club sitting 19 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Rooney admitted it was tough to watch United in the closing stages of Mourinho's tenure, but is pleased to see the players now have the freedom to express themselves again, leading to a winning streak that has them in contention again for a top-four finish.
"I think it wasn't nice watching Manchester United over the last year and knowing the players weren't happy, they weren't enjoying it and I think all he's done is say 'go and play, go and express yourselves, and enjoy it'," United's all-time leading scorer said.
"I think if you take Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and tell them you have to play here, you have to do this, you have to that, they aren't going to be the same players.
"When you are playing at Manchester United you are good enough to know how to play the game and to know what you have to do on the pitch. You need small details of course, but the biggest thing the players need is to just go play and to go enjoy yourself."
news_articleSat, 19 Jan 2019 13:45:41 +0000Anonymous100109650 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney arrest due to mixing sleeping tablets and alcohol, says spokesmanA spokesman for Wayne Rooney moved to explain the circumstances that led to the DC United forward's arrest.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-arrest-due-mixing-sleeping-tablets-and-alcohol-says-spokesman
Wayne Rooney became disorientated after taking sleeping tablets while drinking, the forward's spokesman said following confirmation of his arrest.
Rooney was arrested on public intoxication and swearing charges in the United States last month.
The former England and Manchester United captain, who now plays for DC United in MLS, was arrested by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in Virginia on December 16.
The 33-year-old's spokesman moved to explain the circumstances that led to Rooney's arrest.
"During the flight Wayne took a prescribed amount of sleeping tablets mixed with some alcohol consumption and consequently was disorientated on arrival," the spokesman said in a widely released statement, as reported by BBC Sport.
"He was approached by police who arrested him on a minor misdemeanour charge.
"He received a statutory automatic fine and was released shortly afterwards at the airport. The matter is now at an end.
"Wayne would like to put on record his appreciation for the manner he was treated by all involved."
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office have confirmed former England captain Wayne Rooney was arrested in Virginia last month on public intoxication and swearing charges.
: @LoudounSheriff pic.twitter.com/BVF2KFGHlp
— Omnisport (@OmnisportNews) January 6, 2019
Records from Loudoun General District Court indicated Rooney settled a $25 fine and a further $91 in costs on January 4, with an adjudicatory hearing waived.
In a statement, DC United said: "We are aware of the news reports indicating that Wayne Rooney was arrested in December.
"We understand the media's interest in this matter but we believe this is a private matter for Wayne that D.C. United will handle internally. We have no further comment on this situation."
Rooney was handed a two-year driving ban in the United Kingdom in September 2017 after admitting a charge of drink-driving.
He joined DC United from Everton in June last year and enjoyed an impressive first season in the US capital, scoring 12 goals in his debut campaign.
In November, Rooney was granted a farewell international appearance in England's 3-0 friendly win over USA. He is both the Three Lions and Manchester United's all-time record goalscorer.
news_articleSun, 06 Jan 2019 23:44:33 +0000Anonymous100106225 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney arrested in USA on intoxication and swearing chargesFormer England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney was arrested by Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority on December 16.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-arrested-usa-intoxication-and-swearing-charges
Wayne Rooney was arrested on public intoxication and swearing charges in the United States last month.
The former England and Manchester United captain, who now plays for DC United in Major League Soccer, was arrested by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in Virginia on December 16.
Records from Loudoun General District Court indicated Rooney settled a $25 fine and a further $91 in costs on January 4, with an adjudicatory hearing waived.
A spokesman for Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said: "He was booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on December 16, 2018, on a charge of public intoxication stemming from an arrest by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police.
"He was later released on a personal recognizance bond."
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office have confirmed former England captain Wayne Rooney was arrested in Virginia last month on public intoxication and swearing charges.
: @LoudounSheriff pic.twitter.com/BVF2KFGHlp
— Omnisport (@OmnisportNews) January 6, 2019
Rooney was handed a two-year driving ban in the United Kingdom in September 2017 after admitting a charge of drink-driving.
The 33-year-old joined DC United from Everton in June last year and enjoyed an impressive first season in the US capital, scoring 12 goals in 20 games.
In November, Rooney was granted a farewell international appearance in England's 3-0 friendly win over the USA. He is both the Three Lions and Manchester United's all-time record goalscorer.
news_articleSun, 06 Jan 2019 18:46:40 +0000Anonymous100106152 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comSolskjaer reveals inspirational Rooney texts after Cardiff thrashingWayne Rooney played his part in Manchester United's win over Cardiff City, according to caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/solskjaer-reveals-inspirational-rooney-texts-after-cardiff-thrashing
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Wayne Rooney encouraged him to get Manchester United attacking again prior to Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of Cardiff City.
The Red Devils were on fire in south Wales in Solskjaer's first match as caretaker manager, with Jesse Lingard scoring twice and Marcus Rashford, Ander Herrera and Anthony Martial also on the scoresheet.
It was the first time United have scored five goals in a Premier League game since Alex Ferguson's final match in charge in 2013 and was in stark contrast to the more prosaic approach adopted under former manager Jose Mourinho this season.
Solskjaer claims it was just a matter of allowing a talented team to express themselves, something he says former captain Rooney had also demanded.
"Football is easy if you've got good players and they are such a great bunch of players. The quality is unbelievable," he told BT Sport.
"I arrived Thursday night and I think maybe all the texts and advice from Wazza helped today. He just told us to make them enjoy football, smile, go forward, be Man United. That's what I asked for because it's been a tough week for them. They've responded fantastically.
5 – Man Utd have scored 5+ goals in a Premier League game for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final match in charge in May 2013 versus West Brom (5-5). Gunnar. #CARMUN pic.twitter.com/uc9jYCKv0C
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 22, 2018
"We want them to approach every game the same, combination play, we want them to play it forward. Every game gives you different chances. The foundation was in defence: I thought the two centre-backs and full-backs were outstanding.
"It's a great dressing room. They want to give their best for the club, and they've got the badge on their shirt and there's a reason for that."
Although the manner of the win will boost United's confidence, they are in sixth place in the Premier League table, eight points outside the top four.
Solskjaer wants his players to switch their focus quickly to the Boxing Day visit of Huddersfield Town as he attempts to steer them back into Champions League contention.
"We've caught up eight, nine points before," he said. "Now we've got Huddersfield; let the boys enjoy tonight and we look forward. You can't do anything else other than the next training session, work on a few bits, because there is still work to be done, [and] keep plugging away.
"It's just been emotional, the whole week. It's a start, and we move on. Nothing is history quicker than a game of football."
news_articleSat, 22 Dec 2018 20:11:54 +0000Anonymous100102118 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney backs Solskjaer to fix Manchester United fracturesOle Gunnar Solskjaer's positive attitude has already provided Manchester United with a much-needed boost, according to Wayne Rooney.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-backs-solskjaer-fix-manchester-united-fractures
Wayne Rooney believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the right man to heal the player unrest that contributed to Jose Mourinho's dismissal from Manchester United.
Appearing on television ahead of the club's Premier League clash against Cardiff City, Rooney said recent conversations with former team-mates confirmed the atmosphere "wasn't great" at Old Trafford.
Mourinho was dismissed after a 3-1 loss to Liverpool in which star midfielder Paul Pogba, with whom the Portuguese reportedly had several run-ins, was an unused substitute.
United installed Solskjaer as boss on an interim basis and Rooney, who left for Everton in 2017, welcomed the move as essential to lifting morale.
"Of course I stay in touch with a lot of people at the club. I speak to them quite a lot and certainly this week," the ex-Red Devils skipper told BT Sport.
"To be a successful football club you need everything to be right. You need the staff at the training ground to be right, the groundsman, whoever it is, they need to feel happy, and that rubs off.
"I think that relationship between some of the players and some of the staff obviously wasn't great.
"But bringing Ole and Mike Phelan in, that has already changed. They're smiling, they're happy and that rubs off on the players.
"I think it's a good move for the club. It gives them a bit more time to get the right manager in place in the summer."
news_articleSat, 22 Dec 2018 18:39:45 +0000Anonymous100102042 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comWATCH: Rooney backs Rocky ahead of Canelo showdownRocky Fielding has the support of another Liverpudlian star as he faces Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, with Wayne Rooney sending his support.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/watch-rooney-backs-rocky-ahead-canelo-showdown
Former England captain Wayne Rooney is hoping Rocky Fielding can pull off a huge shock and take down Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez on Saturday.
Canelo will step up to super middleweight to face Fielding, the WBA 'regular' champion, at New York City's Madison Square Garden.
And Rooney, who now plies his trade in the United States with DC United, is backing fellow Merseyside native Fielding as he defends his belt.
In a video message posted on his Twitter page, Rooney said: "Alright, Rocky. I just want to say a massive 'good luck' in your fight against Canelo at Madison Square Garden.
"The whole of Liverpool is behind you and we're proud of you. All the best, mate."
A massive good luck to @Rocky87Fielding who fights Canelo at @TheGarden this weekend @SkySports @EddieHearn @DAZN_USA pic.twitter.com/228ggTV2yz
— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) December 12, 2018
news_articleWed, 12 Dec 2018 21:15:51 +0000Anonymous100098764 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRanked! The 30 best strikers in Premier League historyWith English football in a golden era of goal machines, FourFourTwo rates the greatest strikers of the Premier League era. Goalkeepers beware...https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/ranked-30-best-strikers-premier-league-history
30. Emmanuel Adebayor“I can’t wait for the game to finish. I’m hungry. Do you know a good restaurant in London?"Adebayor’s hunger for actual football had diminished towards the end of his top-flight career – hence the mid-game food enquiry, as told by defender Brede Hangeland – but at his very best, he was devastating.The Togo frontman netted 24 league goals for the Gunners in 2007/08, becoming the first player to bag hat-tricks home and away against the same team in the same campaign, versus Derby.Then came the switch to Manchester City and that famous knee-slide in front of the Arsenal fans. Adebayor hit 14 goals in his first season at the Etihad, and 17 in his debut campaign for Spurs, but his form faded before a one-goal spell at Crystal Palace in 2015/16.29. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer“I got to Old Trafford and the tour guide thought I was going for a tour. He was talking away and then he asked me, ‘So what are you doing here?’”Solskjaer informed the tour guide that, actually, he had arrived from Norway to sign for Manchester United. Eleven years later he had earned his rightful place inclub folklore – not just for the winner in the 1999 Champions League Final, but also for playing a key role in six Premier League crowns.The ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’became regarded as a super sub: a third of his league appearances were off the bench, meaning he found the net once every 150 minutes. Four strikes as a sub at Nottingham Forest in 1999 was perhaps his greatest Premier League performance.28. Jermain DefoeA consistent goalscorer, Defoe has hit double figures in eight different Premier League seasons, and is the only player to have netted five goals in one half, in Tottenham’s 9-1 demolition of Wigan in 2009.Back playing on the south coast with Bournemouth this season, having also represented Portsmouth, there remains debate about his overall contribution to team success – he’s suffered relegation at West Ham and Sunderland during his top-flight career.But no one can doubt Defoe’s finishing ability: after making his Premier League bow for the Hammers at Middlesbrough 16 years ago, he’s now in seventh place in the all-time scoring list and holds the record for the most goals as a sub – 23 - including a screamer against Man City in 2013.27. Jurgen KlinsmannTrue, more than 200 players have scored more Premier League goals, though few have made quite the same impact as the ex-Germany international.One of the first major foreign signings of the Premier League era when he left Monaco for the Lilywhites in 1994, Klinsi was disliked in England after Italia 90.But he turned opinion around when asking, “Are there any diving schools in London?” at his unveiling, before marking a debut header in a 4-3 win at Sheffield Wednesday by collapsing on the Owls’ turf in celebration.He netted 21 goals and was crowned Football Writers’ Player of the Year but departed after just the one campaign. Chairman Alan Sugar swiftly declared he wouldn’t wash his car with Klinsmann's shirt, yet the German returned on loan three seasons later, helping Tottenham avoid relegation.26. Les Ferdinand“People don’t think Les Ferdinand, former England international, but Les Ferdinand, bloke who wrecked the Blue Peter garden.”He didn’t – despite rumours that began when he made an ill-judged joke about the 1983 incident – and no one can boast a higher Premier League goal tally without converting a single penalty.Sir Les didn’t need any spot-kicks: he bagged 101 goals in the first five seasons of the Premier League, joining Newcastle from QPRin 1995.Kevin Keegan’s ill-fated title tilt proved the closest that Ferdinand came to winning the league, but he continued to find the net at Spurs, West Ham and Leicester – where he scored 12 times in the season of his 37th birthday – before a stint with Bolton... commuting to Lancashire in his helicopter, naturally.25. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink“On the pitch he always looked annoyed with everyone,” his Chelsea team-mate Gianfranco Zola once said. But that was a rage which drove the Dutchman to goalscoring success.Only three players have topped the Premier League scoring charts with more than one team – Robin van Persie, Alan Shearer and Hasselbaink.Real name Jerrel, the powerful striker scored 18 times with Leeds, sharing the Golden Boot award with Michael Owen and Dwight Yorke in 1998/99.Following a season with Atletico Madrid (where he scored 24 goals in 34 games, finishing as La Liga's second-highestscorer despite Atleti's relegation), he netted 23 times in 35 appearances for Chelsea in 2000/01, including four in a 6–1 rout against Coventry.Withhis rocket of a right foot, Hasselbaink helped a resurgent Blues finish second in 2003/04 before moves to Middlesbrough, Charlton and Cardiff.24. Romelu LukakuSince arriving in the Premier League, it’s felt like Lukaku has had a point to prove. In 2011, the Belgian frontman had a huge reputation, having scored41 goals for Anderlecht agedonly 18.Despite Chelsea paying £17m, he started just the one league game before being loaned out – to West Brom, then Everton – with the suggestion that he must prove himself as a top-flight forward. That he did, scoring 17 goals for the Baggies and 15 in his year at Goodison Park.Yet Chelsea – and Jose Mourinho – weren’t convinced, and sold him to Everton. In an inconsistent team, Lukaku scored 53 goals in three campaigns, improving his finishing and link-up play all the while. Suddenly Chelsea were keen again, but he opted for Manchester United –and, ironically, Mourinho.Lukaku still struggles to shrug off the doubters who have never been far away, but henetted 16 goals in 34 Premier League games in his debut season at Old Trafford and continues to perform at a high level for his country– as he demontsrated during Belgium's run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.23. Carlos TevezThe Argentine frontman’s controversial move to England looked like a disaster. He hadnt't found the net byMarch in his first season, with West Ham nine points shy of safety.But then the real Carlitos turned up: seven goals to save the Hammers, followed by a transfer to Manchester United and back-to-back titles. Things were going well, but it wouldn’t be Tevez without more controversy–so he opted to join Manchester City, where he was greeted at Eastlands by the famous ‘Welcome to Manchester’ poster.Forty-three goals in just two years followed before grumpy Tevez returned, falling out with manager Roberto Mancini and playing only a bit-part in the club’s 2011/12 title triumph. An absurdly talented frontman, but very high maintenance.22. Diego CostaRivalling Tevez in the high-maintenance stakes, it’s Costa: possibly the only player on this list to be dumped by text.The Spain international hit the ground running in the Premier League after his 2014 move from Atletico Madrid, netting seven goals in his first four matches for Chelsea–a new record.World football’s oldest-looking 26-year-old registered 20 goals to spearhead the west Londoners’ run to the title, but an infamous banner labelled the Brazil-born frontman – plus Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard – a ‘rat’ after poor form in his second campaign contributed to Jose Mourinho’s sacking.The controversial goal-getter hit back in 2016/17, though, scoring 20 once more as the Blues regained the title under Antonio Conte, author of: “Hi Diego – you are not in my plan.” Unsurprisingly, he left to rejoin Atleti in summer 2018 with the parting shot:"I was wrong going to Chelsea."21. Nicolas Anelka“People often say my time with Arsenal was my best period. But it wasn’t. I was a much better player for Bolton.”Anelka left the Premier League three times, but he just kept on coming back. A title winner at Highbury when he was 19, the following campaign brought 17 goals and an ill-fated switch to Real Madrid. But Le Sulk moved back to England with Liverpool (on loan) and Manchester City before departing again for Fenerbahce.Sam Allardyce revived Anelka’s career at Bolton, and the French striker became the Premier League’s top scorer with 19 for Chelsea in 2008/09, winning another title a year later. He and Tevez are the only two players on this list to earn a winner’s medal with more than one team.After transferring to China, Anelka’s final Premier League stint came at West Brom, where he was sacked for gross misconduct after using thequenelle gesture celebrating one of his two goals for the Baggies.20. Dimitar Berbatov BIG INTERVIEWDimitar Berbatov – "I left Spurs to follow my dream – Man United was the top of the mountain for me"Despite featuring in the 2002 Champions League Final for Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham fans weren't exactly sure what they'd get when their club recruited the brooding Bulgarian in summer 2006. But it didn’t take Berba long to secure cult status, with his nonchalant-yet-clinical playing style making the Lilywhites one of England’s must-watch outfits (not to mention League Cup winners).Manchester United soon wrestled him away from N17 for £30 million and, after a slow start, Berbatov once again came good–particularly during 2010/11 when he notched a personal best 20 goals in winning the title.He'd lost another yard of pace by the time of his two-season spell with Fulham, but if anything that just made his effortless waltzing around the pitch seem even cooler. In an era where speed and physicality were considered near essential for any top-level striker, Berba’s slick sauntering provided a much-needed variation from routine in the Premier League.19. Fernando Torres A deadline-day switch has rarely drawn so stark a line through a career. Before his move to Chelsea in 2011, Torres was a rapid, clinical, prolific marksman. After it, he was largely a bumbling, stumbling comic punchline of a striker. But in his three-and-a-half years with Liverpool he was a phenomenon.From his Anfield bow – when he glided through Chelsea’s defence to score his first goal for the club – he showed the physicality and technique to net at will. He did that 33 times in his first campaign (24 in the league) and 39 in 70 over the next two despite a succession of injuries to ankle, hamstring and knee.That wear and tear was probably a big factor in his decline, although Blues fans will always cherish his 2012 Champions League semi-final clincher at the Camp Nou en route to Munich glory.18. Gianfranco ZolaSEE ALSOGianfranco Zola’s 11 most magical Chelsea momentsNot every forward is all about the sheer weight of goals – and Chelsea’s Italian icon falls into that category.The pint-sized Sardinian striker helped to transform not only the Blues but also English football, with his dazzling array of flicks and tricks fooling centre-backs and wowing supporters across the land.“At the beginning, the ‘open’ style of English football really helped me,” Zola explained to FFT back in 2007, “as I was coming from tighter marking in Serie A.”Zola was crowned the Football Writers’ Player of the Year in 1997 following his first campaign at Stamford Bridge, and his seven years in London featured two FA Cups, the League Cup and the winner in a Cup Winners’ Cup final.The greatest shame? He exited as Roman Abramovich arrived and missed out on lifting league titles with the Blues.17 and 16. Dwight Yorke Andy ColeSometimes things just click. “When me and Yorkie started playing together, it was like meeting a special woman and falling in love,” Andy Cole told FFT back in 2010. “Everything felt right.”Eyebrows had been raised when Alex Ferguson paid Aston Villa £12.6 million for Trinidad and Tobago forward Yorke – after all, the Scot already had Cole, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham at his disposal.Ferguson rotated his frontmen during the early weeks of the 1998/99 season, but by October he'd stumbled across a blossoming double act. Yorke and Cole started five games together during that month and netted nine goals between them as the Red Devils scored 19. There was now little doubt that they were top dogs as United swept aside all comers, clinching the Treble.The prolific partnership pilfered a total of 98 goals for the club in their first two seasons together, but the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy from PSV in 2001 put an end to their standing as regular starters. In December of that year Cole decided to join Blackburn, and Yorke followedhim to Ewood Park six months later.The pair dovetailed well once again at Rovers and fired them into the UEFA Cup via a sixth-place finish, but they went their separate ways in 2004 after falling out with gaffer Graeme Souness. As you do.15. Robbie FowlerFans love a local lad rattling in the goals, hence why Liverpool’s faithful nicknamed the Toxteth-born Fowler ‘God’. He scored his maiden hat-trick against Southampton on his fifth league appearance, and his second against Arsenal on his 30th (the latter coming in five first-half minutes).In the age of Shearer, Klinsmann and Wright, Fowler was the most clinical of all Premier League strikers.But then a knee ligament injury in 1996/97 stopped the goal-poacher in his tracks, with Michael Owen pinching his place in the Reds’ XI. Fowler eventually made his comeback, but had lost the explosiveness that once made him so feared by Premier League defences.Fowler will always be a case of what might have been. Spells with Leeds and ManchesterCity, and even an emotional return to Anfield in January 2006, failed to rekindle the old magic.14. Michael OwenOwen was just 18 and still in his first full season as a regular with Liverpool when he shared the Golden Boot in 1997/98. Not content with that, he repeated the feat a year laterafter becoming a hero for England at the World Cup thanks to that goal against Argentina.The perfect script for a film? He wouldn’t know – Owen claims that he doesn’t watch them.The speedster would go on to seal the Ballon d’Or in 2001 and posted double figures in each of his seven full seasons in the Liverpool first team – although intriguingly, never struck 20 in a league campaign.Moves to Real Madrid and Newcastle didn’t work out as planned, and injury woes meant he was a bit-part player when he finally won a league title at Manchester United in 2011, before retiring at Stoke.13. Harry KaneThere’s little doubt in Harry Kane’s mind exactly when his rise to elite-level striker kicked in.“That match at Villa Park was definitely a turning point,” he toldFFTin 2015, speaking of a 2-1 win the previous November. “Before that, I’d shown what I could do in Europa League and League Cup matches, but then coming on in the Premier League and scoring the winner in injury time was a real statement that I was ready.”From there, he hasn’t looked back – it was the first of 21 Premier League goals of that season, with 25 more following in 2015/16 and 29 in 2016/17.Kane has improved his Premier League goal tally every season since breaking into Spurs' team, so it came as little surprise when he did it again last termand reached 30 in a league season for the first time. In doing so, he joined an exclusive club of players to achieve the feat over a 38-game season: featuring Mo Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin Phillips, Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez.And there's so much more to come.12. Robin van PersieAlex Ferguson’s final season in charge of Manchester United delivered the league crown, largely thanks to Van Persie’s move from rivals Arsenal.The Dutchman hadn’t won the league in eight campaigns in north London – he joined the club a couple of days after the end of the Invincibles season in 2004 – and injuries occasionally prevented him from showing his full potential as he switched from wideman to striker.But the left-footer reached his peak at the age of 28: winning the Golden Boot with 30 goals in his final season at the Emirates, before netting 26 times in his debut term at Old Trafford to help Fergie bid farewell with a 13th league title to his name.11. Teddy Sheringham“Arsenal fans sang, ‘Oh, Teddy Teddy, he went to Man United and he won f**k all,’” Sheringham once told FFT. “We won the Treble and I wondered what they’d now chant. It was, ‘Oh, Teddy Teddy, he went to Man United and he’s still a c***!’”Sheringham hadn’t won a major title prior to 1999, but helped the Red Devils to three league titles in four seasons at Old Trafford, earning him the Footballer of the Year honour at 34.Top scorer in the first Premier League campaign, he’d moved from Nottingham Forest to Spurs in 1992 and adapted into a clever second striker, contributing goals and 76 top-flight assists. Sheringham later played for Portsmouth and West Ham, becoming the oldest scorer in the Premier League at 40.10. Ian Wright“179, just done it,” read the t-shirt as Ian Wright celebrated. The excitement had got the better of him: actually, he’d just bagged his 178th goal for Arsenal, and wasn’t supposed to show off the undershirt unless he netted twice. As it turned out, No.179 followed five minutes later and Cliff Bastin’s club record was broken. Out came the t-shirt again.Wright became a legend at Arsenal in the early Premier League years and his last act as a Gunner was to win the title, aged 34, before moving across London to West Ham. The striker’s spell with the Hammers was arguably most notable for the time he damaged the dressing room of referee Rob Harris after being sent off against Leeds, earning him a three-match ban.Wrighty always had a temper, but there were few better finishers.9. Ruud van NistelrooyFew players enjoy their best years after a cruciate knee ligament injury, but Van Nistelrooy was one of them. “The injury gave me a mental strength that I didn’t have before,” he told FFT. The injury delayed the Dutch forward’s arrival at Manchester United from PSV.Yet he was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year after his first campaign at Old Trafford and bagged the Premier League Golden Boot a year later, hitting 25 goals in the league as part of a whopping 44 in all competitions.His goals-per-game ratio was mightily impressive but, surprisingly, the striker won only one league title in five seasons with the Red Devils.A breakdown in relations with manager Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo led to his departure in 2006.8. Didier Drogba“When you're criticised by your fans, not everyone would have been able to handle that. Some players would have gone under.”A £24m signing from Marseille in 2004, Drogba’s first few months in the Premier League were far from perfect – he was struggling for goals and being lambasted for his diving.But the Ivory Coast international managed to turn things around and become a legend. The powerhouse in Jose Mourinho’s back-to-back title victories of 2004/05 and 2005/06, he won the Golden Boot a year later before repeating the feat with 29 goals in 2009/10 – finished off with a hat-trick against Wigan on the final day as the Blues won the league once more.After spells in China and Turkey, he returned to Chelsea to claim a fourth title in 2015, and is the only African to hit 100 Premier League goals.Drogba could make this list at No.8 for his Premier League exploits alone, but it's thatmatch-winning display in the 2012 Champions League Final for which he'll always be worshipped in west London.7. Luis SuarezLuis Suarez £22.8m, Andy Carroll £35m. Those were the amounts Liverpool paid on January 31, 2011 – and the comparison seems absurd now.But the Uruguayan arrived with baggage. Not only was he an international villain after his handball denied Ghana a goal at the 2010 World Cup, he’d also served a ban for biting an opponent during his time with Ajax.Suarez didn’t hit the goal trail straight away – in 2011/12, he found the net just 11 times, though he struck the woodwork on eight more occasions.There was more controversy too: he was banned for racially abusing Patrice Evra (and later for another bite, on Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic). Then came the bizarre £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal after the goal-getter had netted a rather more impressive 23 in 2012/13.But there was no chance of Suarez leaving for north London andhe reached top form a year later, scoring 31 times in 33 league matches as Liverpool nearly clinched the league crown under Brendan Rodgers.The PFA Player of the Year award and European Golden Shoe were his, as was a move to Barcelona in 2014.6. Dennis Bergkamp“It’s like solving a puzzle – I always had a picture in my head of how everything would look two or three seconds later.”Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp was one step ahead of the rest. Recruited by Bruce Rioch, he combined intelligence with elegance to produce 87 goals and 94 assists, linking up with Ian Wright to seal the league title for Arsenal in 1998, then Thierry Henry to win it in 2002 and in the Invincibles year of 2004.The Dutchman was PFA Players’ Player of the Year when he struck 16 goals in 28 games in 1997/98. His incredible treble at Leicester was hailed by Martin O’Neill as “the best hat-trick I have ever seen”, and a bedazzling turn and finish against Newcastle in 2002 was named the best ever goal in the Premier League.Bergkamp’s success in England definitely left Stuart Pearce red-faced. The former Nottingham Forest full-back had called the £7.5 million signing from Inter Milan “a massive gamble” during an interview with The Sun.“I’d have taken Stan Collymore ahead of Bergkamp,” explained Psycho. “Even for £1 million more – Liverpool have got a much better deal than Arsenal.”He was wrong. Very wrong.5. Wayne Rooney“Remember the name, Wayne Rooney,” commentator Clive Tyldesley bellowed. It’s a little-known fact that he did this with every young player back then, with Clive turning up at youth internationals shouting, “Remember the name, Stacy Long!” and, “You’ll be hearing a lot more about this kid, Sean Doherty!”He was spot on about Rooney, though. That stunner for Everton against Arsenal in October 2002, aged 16, was the first of what would prove to be 208 Premier League goals, on the way to five titles with Manchester United and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year prize in 2010.He weighed in with a whopping 103 assists as well, his tally only bettered by Ryan Giggs andCesc Fabregas. Decent.4. Sergio Aguero“Defenders look at me, see a short little kid, try to tackle me and then I’m off – see you later.”If trying to tackle the Argentine is hard enough, stopping him from finding the net is near-impossible. Nobodycan rival the Manchester City striker’s goals-per-minutes ratio, which currently stands at a ludicrous 108.Dennis Bergkamp may have scored the best goal of the Premier League era, as voted by supporters, but Aguero netted the most memorable. His late, late strike against QPR that sealed City the title in 2012 was one of English football’s most dramatic moments– and yet, incredibly, it took until 2017/18 for Aguero to makea PFA Team of the Year.His goal came at the climax of the first of seven full campaigns to date at City, with the 29-year-old hitting at least 20 goals in five of those.3. Eric Cantona“I didn’t punch the fan strong enough – I should have punched him harder.” By that point, Cantona had already kicked Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons in the face in any case, so he'd probably got the message.If Cantona will be partly remembered for going all kung fu at Selhurst Park in 1995, no one at Manchester United will ever forget the way the French forward transformed a club that hadn’t secured a league title for 26 years into the force of the Premier League era.Collar up, chest out, Cantona commanded a pitch and bagged almost a goal every other game – superb stats for someone who was often deployed as a withdrawn striker. He also scored the first Premier League hat-trick, for Leeds in a 5-0 rout of Tottenham, in 1992.2. Alan ShearerDecember 29, 1993. Ewood Park. 8.09pm. Tim Sherwood crosses in from the right, Alan Shearer finds a yard of space in the box and sweeps the ball beyond Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall.It was a trademark Shearer goal – the sort he scored so regularly for Blackburn Rovers, and later Newcastle United. But this one was significant, even if he didn’t know it at the time. It put him out on his own as the all-time leading scorer in the Premier League. He has held the record ever since. In 25years, no one has come even close to it.The newly formed Premier League was 16 months old back then. Astonishingly, despite Shearer already leading the goal charts, he had actually spent several of those months on the sidelines because of a cruciate ligament injury. He didn't start a single league game from Boxing Day 1992 to September 1993.He'd smashed 16 goals in 21 games before his setback – Teddy Sheringham top-scored that term with only 22 across the entire campaign. On Shearer’s return to fitness, his first 19 starts for Blackburn delivered another 24 goals.He scored 31 times in just 40 games in 1993/94, 34 in 42 matches in 1994/95, then 31 over 35 outings in 1995/96, taking home the Football Writers’ Player of the Year gong in ’94 and PFA Players’ Player of the Year honour in ’95 en route to the Premier League title.No wonder Rovers owner Jack Walker wanted Shearer to stay at Blackburn so much that he was offered a player-manager position in 1996 aged only 25.Shearer politely declined, signing for Newcastle in a world-record £15 million deal and immediately becoming Premier League top scorer for a third consecutive year.By his retirement in 2006, Shearer had netted 148 league goals for the Magpies, taking his tally to 260. Along the way he also set Premier League records for the most hat-tricks (11), the most trebles in a single campaign (five, in 1995/96) and the most goals in a game (five, against Sheffield Wednesday in 1999).The Premier League has never witnessed a goalscoring machine quite like him – although that celebration could still do with a bit of work...1. Thierry Henry“I need to score crappy goals,” Thierry Henry told FourFourTwo in 2001. “I don’t want to look pretentious, but I usually don’t do crappy goals. I like to do some beautiful thing on the pitch. I like to play to the crowd.”A few months earlier, Henry had scored arguably his greatest goal in the Premier League, flicking the ball up and lashing it beyond Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez at Highbury. It was both graceful and brilliant.Henry may not have scored as many Premier League goals as Shearer, but he didn’t play in as many matches – 258 to Shearer’s 441. And the ex-Arsenal man’s goals-per-game ratio is actually greater.The France international achieved this with a panache that made him both an Arsenal and Premier League icon. ‘Va va voom’ was not just about searing pace, it was about delivering the beautiful and the seemingly impossible. Take the solo goal he scored against Liverpool back in April 2004, slaloming past pretty much the entire Reds defence.Henry never did stop scoring beautiful goals for the Gunners, but adding in the (very) occasional crappy one upped his strike rate. He found the net 24 times in 2001/02 to help the north Londoners win the title, following it with 24, 30, 25 and 27 in each of the next four seasons. No other player has ever hit more than 20 goals in five consecutive campaigns. On four of those occasions he was Premier League top scorer, collecting the PFA’s Player of the Year prize in 2003 and 2004, and the Football Writers’ award in 2003, 2004 and 2006.Thierry made a brief return to London in January 2012 on loan from New York Red Bulls, with the sole league strike of his second spell – a last-minute winner away at Sunderland – ultimately crucial in Arsenal’s quest to secure qualification for the Champions League. Even at 34, he was making a difference.While Shearer lifted the title just once, Henry was seldom away from the sharp end. His second crown, when he was the star of the Invincibles team of 2003/04 with 30 goals in 37 appearances, earned him Premier League immortality.Now read...Ranked! The 50 worst players in Premier League history The 10 best Premier League teams EVER​The 16 greatest Premier League players of the 1990sNew features you'd love on FourFourTwofeatureFri, 30 Nov 2018 14:56:24 +0000Ceylan Hussein807294 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney: Some ex-players can't come to terms with England doing wellWhile Wayne Rooney will always be an England fan, he has revealed some former internationals are not so supportive.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-some-ex-players-cant-come-terms-england-doing-well
Wayne Rooney is excited for England's future under Gareth Southgate - but insists other former internationals are not so forthcoming in their support of the current squad.
Thursday's substitute appearance against the United States marked Rooney's 120th and final appearance for the national team, having announced his retirement last year.
The former Everton and Manchester United forward came off the bench in his swansong outing and nearly marked his farewell at Wembley with a goal towards the end of a comfortable 3-0 triumph.
However, while Rooney is looking forward to cheering on the Three Lions from afar now as he winds down his career in MLS, he revealed some of his old England team-mates are not so happy with Southgate's side doing well.
"I know there are some ex-players who I've spoken to who can't come to terms with England doing well," Rooney said.
"That is wrong. I’m not like that. I'm a fan now. I want England to do well. I am proud to have played for England so many times and I always have been.
"I've had my time. I am happy with what I've contributed to the national team and I look forward now to the next few years and watching this team progress."
Thank You For Everything @WayneRooney pic.twitter.com/mnXUiY7Ysr
— Jesse Lingard (@JesseLingard) November 16, 2018
England reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup but Rooney believes the 3-2 Nations League win away in Spain last month may be even more important for the squad's growth.
He admits there is "huge" potential in the group of players working under the impressive Southgate, who has a depth of talent at his disposal that was not always there for his predecessors.
"I think this is a great squad, with other players who can come in if there are injuries," the 33-year-old said.
"I have also seen first-hand that they are getting coached right, with good ideas, and the players are responding well to that. Hopefully this team can be the one to bring a trophy home.
"Everyone can see the potential in the team is huge. They have come off the back of a hugely successful World Cup, but in a strange way I think the game against Spain will give them even more confidence than what they did in the summer.
"That was a massive result, to win away in Spain. To be around the squad, to see how Gareth is coaching, was great."
news_articleSun, 18 Nov 2018 09:24:14 +0000Anonymous100091299 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comReaching Rooney's England goals record 'definitely possible' – KaneWayne Rooney ended his England career as his country's record goalscorer, but Harry Kane thinks he can topple him.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/reaching-rooneys-england-goals-record-definitely-possible-kane
Harry Kane is convinced that surpassing Wayne Rooney's record haul of 53 England goals is "definitely possible" for him.
Rooney's international career came to a close on Thursday in a friendly against the United States, which was organised to honour the former Manchester United striker.
He was unable to add to his tally in the 3-0 win at Wembley, however, and tipped Kane to one day go past him.
Tottenham star Kane has netted 19 times in 34 outings for his country, and having been named captain, looks set to have the central striker's position nailed down for the foreseeable future.
Kane insists he is not looking too far into the future, though he is confident he can topple Rooney's record.
"It's definitely possible, but it's a fair bit away," Kane told reporters at England's pre-match news conference ahead of facing Croatia in the Nations League on Sunday.
A great end to @WayneRooney's @England career. Lots of money raised for charity and a solid win. A good night. #England #ThreeLions #ENGUSA pic.twitter.com/9m3HAKHVgU
— Harry Kane (@HKane) November 15, 2018
"I don't like to set targets that far ahead because a lot can happen, we'll see over the next few years.
"Hopefully I'll still be fit and healthy and still getting picked by the manager. It's definitely achievable, but I'm not thinking too much about it."
Sunday's visit of Croatia is a crucial one for League A Group 4 in the Nations League, as both sides go into the game level on four points, two behind leaders Spain.
Whoever emerges victorious at Wembley will qualify for the Finals, while defeat for England would mean relegation to League B, as would a score draw.
With Ivan Rakitic out, Croatia will place even more responsibility on the shoulders of Luka Modric, and Kane – a former team-mate of the Real Madrid man – thinks he deserves all the plaudits that have come his way this year.
"I think he's definitely up there, for sure," Kane said when asked if Modric had been the best player in the world in 2018.
"I played a little bit with him when I was a younger kid at Spurs. Everyone knows now how good a player he is."
news_articleSat, 17 Nov 2018 17:54:17 +0000Anonymous100091168 at https://www.fourfourtwo.comRooney backing Kane to break England recordHarry Kane will eventually become England's record goalscorer, according to Wayne Rooney.https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/rooney-backing-kane-break-england-record
Wayne Rooney has backed England captain Harry Kane to break his record tally of 53 international goals for the nation.
Former Everton and Manchester United forward Rooney came out of international retirement to feature for England against the United States on Thursday, as Gareth Southgate's side ran out 3-0 winners at Wembley.
Rooney, who inspired DC United to the MLS play-offs, almost marked his 120th and final cap with a goal, but saw his low strike saved by Brad Guzan.
Prior to the friendly, which was played in honour of the Wayne Rooney Foundation, Kane and FA chairman Greg Clarke made a presentation to the 33-year-old.
A great end to @WayneRooney's @England career. Lots of money raised for charity and a solid win. A good night. #England #ThreeLions #ENGUSA pic.twitter.com/9m3HAKHVgU
— Harry Kane (@HKane) November 15, 2018
And Rooney hopes that one day, it will be him presenting an award to Kane – who has scored 19 times for his country – for breaking the record goals haul in an England shirt.
"I look forward to presenting him with the trophy," Rooney told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I asked Harry to present me with the award because I believe he will beat my goalscoring record.
"It was great to be out there in front of the fans again and it was special for me and my family."
news_articleFri, 16 Nov 2018 00:22:57 +0000Anonymous100090573 at https://www.fourfourtwo.com